SQL Server 2014 Developer Edition is Now a Free Download

Microsoft announced today that SQL Server 2014 Developer Edition would now be a free download for developers. It will be made available via the Visual Studio Dev Essentials program. Visual Studio Dev Essentials is a free program from Microsoft that gives developers access to a number of Microsoft development tools like Visual Studio Code and Azure. The program offers the VS Code for Windows, Linux, and OSX.

In the past developers who had an MSDN subscription received a license to use SQL Server Developer Edition. SQL Server Developer Edition is licensed for unlimited use in Development or Testing environments, but not Production. This is helpful for reducing development budgets. SQL Server Developer Edition has the following major Hardware & Software Requirements: